Maria Elise Jabon

On February 13, 2024, at the age of 38, Maria Elise Jabon died tragically when she was struck by a vehicle while cycling in Los Altos, California. Maria passed away less than three months before she and her fiancé, Matthew Hoffman, were to be married. She is survived by her parents, David and Therese Jabon; her fiancé Matthew Hoffman; her brother Michael Jabon, her sister-in-law Maya Koenig-Dzialowski, and her nephews Rémy Jabon and Maxime Jabon; her sister Sarah Wilder, her brother-in-law Kevin Wilder, and her nephews Finn Wilder and Roman Wilder; and many aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Maria’s life was filled with academic and professional accomplishments. Born in the Chicago area in 1985, she was an exceptional student who discovered a passion for electrical engineering at New Trier High School in Winnetka, Illinois. She studied electrical engineering at Stanford University and graduated with both a Bachelor of Science degree and a Master of Science degree in Electrical Engineering. Working for seven years at LinkedIn and six years at Netskope, Maria was a trailblazing engineer whose contributions were unparalleled. She was instrumental in developing and maintaining critical business systems and in laying the groundwork for the launch of highly successful new features. Maria leaves a legacy of innovation, professionalism, and unwavering dedication to excellence. She also leaves an indelible mark as an exceptional mentor, nurturing the growth and development of junior team members and earning the title of interns' favorite engineer.

Known for her keen intellect, Maria was an exceptionally kind and considerate person who cared deeply about all those in her life. Maria invariably found meaningful ways to connect on a personal level, whether through recounting of a shared adventure, a thoughtful gift, or just providing a smile that could light up a room. She was an outstanding listener. She had an uncanny ability to converse about classical music, Shakespeare, coding, or math, and also to immediately endear herself to young children with her sincerity, patience and warmth.

Maria was an avid backpacker and cyclist who loved the outdoors. She had an adventurous spirit and was particularly fond of roaming above treeline in the High Sierra mountains of California. Whether alone or joined by one of her many friends, she was a competent outdoorswoman who took pleasure and solace in pushing herself through challenging terrain. She could outpace many an experienced hiker while still pausing to appreciate alpine wildflowers.

A visitation is scheduled for Wednesday, February 21, from 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM PST at Willow Glen Funeral Home (1039 Lincoln Ave, San Jose, CA 95125) with a short program at noon. There will also be a visitation at Smith-Corcoran Funeral Home (6150 N. Cicero Ave., Chicago, IL 60646) on Sunday, February 25, from 2:30-5:30 PM.